Invisible illnesses range from diabetes, fibromyalgia, arthritis or even mental illness. According to the 2015 campaign called My Invisible Fight, nearly 133 million Americans have an invisible illness. With that many people impacted by chronic illness, you would hope that there would be more awareness. However, we need more advocates in the world considering so many of us can represent our own diseases.
At the age of 14, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This has been a topic of another piece of mine, but as of recently, I had a very big reality check on how sensitive my disease can be. As a stubborn young woman, I absolutely hate asking for help. I tend to work too hard, don’t sleep enough, and try to fit everything into my crazy schedule without truly considering the impact it has on my body. This irresponsible behavior landed me in a four-day hospital stay, three of which was spent in the ICU for diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic Ketoacidosis, or DKA, is a serious condition that can ultimately lead to death if not treated and corrected immediately because it results from poor blood sugar control.
While I have been home for three weeks now, it is still a battle trying to let my body get back to normal after the intense shock it went through. My body essentially went from being on my death bed to coming back to the land of the living. As one could imagine, it is both mentally and physically exhausting. It’s difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t completely understand the disease that I’m going to be in recovery mode for weeks, even up to months. This is one of the problems that is simply par for the course with an invisible illness. When most healthy people are released from the hospital, they can continue with life as normal. However, I am still not at 100 percent.
In 2011, I was admitted into the hospital for DKA, but my body recovered much faster than this most recent episode. Even though I have had diabetes for almost eight years, I feel like I have just been diagnosed again. I’m trying to relearn the science behind my disease and incorporate it into a healthier lifestyle.
While my entire life is changing again, my struggle is typically invisible to an outsider. I believe part of the problem is a lack of communication between people with the chronic disease and people who don’t understand it. Like most situations, it’s easy to make assumptions about something that we do not know much about. I’ll be honest, it’s frustrating when people say “But you don’t look sick!” or “You look so great!” However, I’d much rather explain what I go through than let my invisible illness go without awareness.
I think the scariest part of my most recent health decline is the fact that no one knew that I was heading in that direction, not even me. My biggest mistake was letting my invisible illness stay invisible. These chronic illnesses should not be swept under the rug just because we don’t look sick. If you have questions, please ask them. If you have an invisible illness, know that you are not alone in your fight. Whether you look for support from your friends and family, or support groups to surround yourself with others who can share in your struggle, you deserve all of the love and support in the world.
I’ve always lived by the philosophy that God will never give me something that I can’t handle. My diabetes can be terrifying and frustrating, but I am strong enough to handle it. It sounds silly, but be proud of the cards you were dealt in life. Share your story and spread awareness wherever you can. Remember, what others see is just the tip of the iceberg.
